The Newest Variable
by RedRoseBlade
Summary: Sixteen-year old Katherine Campbell is hit by the front of a truck on a Tuesday night, but what feels like a few hours later, she wakes up and finds herself in Central City. So now she has two options: screw up the timeline or let everything play out like it should. (Warning: Flames will be used to toast marshmallows.)
1. Everything has a Beginning

With a goofy smile on my face, I hugged the pillow on my lap eagerly as I pointed the remote at the TV screen to switch to the CW channel. The newest show was just so…good! Superpowers? Alternate Universes? Time Travel? Count me in! Well, it was mostly the fantasy of it all rather than science fiction that drew me in to watch The Flash. After the first few episodes, I got hooked on watching Barry Allen save Central City dozens of times. Plus, the main character was just so dreamy! And those abs… I let out a little squeal, making my younger brother roll his eyes.

"We get it, you like him," he sighed in exasperation.

I pushed my glasses further up my nose and tossed my short black hair back as I watched with baited breath for the show to start. My heart pounded with anticipation as I retorted, "Of course I like Barry! He's cuter than you, Tommy."

He scowled. "Don't call me that. My name is Thomas Campbell! THO-MAS! I'm ten, so stop treating me like a six-year old with-"

The TV cut him off with, "My name is Barry Allen and I am the fastest man alive."

Quickly, I turned my attention back to the episode. It showed a fast red streak moving through a city filled with tall skyscrapers-Central City. He then went on to describe what happened to him as a child before it showed a conversation between Joe and Barry. Hang on, this was a bit familiar.

I frowned. "Isn't this the third episode?"

"Didn't you know they postponed the newest episode to next week?" Thomas deadpanned at my expression of disbelief.

I threw my hands up in the air. "Oh come on," I whined. "This makes everything pointless! I would have a much better time watching Hibbing 911 from Supernatural since I missed that one!"

Thomas narrowed his eyes. "Then shoo! I haven't watched this one yet. Go downstairs and write fanfiction or whatever you do with that laptop of yours," he said, making a motion at me to leave. I huffed and slammed my brother's bedroom door behind me as I left.

My mom yelled from downstairs in the kitchen, "Don't slam doors! You're a mature sixteen year old, so act like it!"

And quit my raging teenage hormones? Easier said than done, so good luck with that. I walked into my own room across Tom's and changed into a long-sleeved black Attack on Titan shirt and a pair of blue jeans. Nothing too extravagant, I mused as I slipped my cell phone into my pocket and grabbed a pair of ear buds.

"I'm going out Mom!" I finally called once I finished tying my sneakers.

There was a pause before she walked over to stand in front of me. I stared into her dark eyes and waited for her speech. To my surprise, it was only a question."Katherine, why would you go out at night right now?"

"Same as you a while ago. To take a walk," I shrugged and shoved my hands into my pockets.

She pursed her lips together in disapproval but grudgingly allowed, "Get back by 9:00. An hour is more than enough time to take a walk around the neighborhood."

I gave the Attack on Titan salute with a grin. "Aye-aye captain!" With that, I stepped out onto the front porch after closing the door behind me. The air was cooler outside and seemingly easier to breathe as I inhaled.

"Missed this," I muttered to myself in appreciation before sticking in my headphones. Centuries from Fall Out Boy instantly blared as I descended down the front steps and began my slow walk around the area. There weren't really any trees around, but the ones here were being used as decorations. Pitiful compared to the majestic forests I had been to on field trips with my 8th Grade class a few years ago on my fourteenth birthday on a warm day: Friday, May 15.

Closing my eyes, I nodded to the beat of the music. It was so good! A few seconds later, I walked into a street lamp on the other side of the road. So much for that idea. This time, the earbuds went back to my pocket. I grimaced and rubbed the side of my head that hit the metal pole, scowling before crossing the road again.

Then I heard the rumble of a car engine somewhere. From what it sounded like: a truck was coming. I looked around as I walked faster. No lights. Maybe I was being paranoid?

Suddenly, something blunt and fast crashed into my side, throwing me several feet away on the rough asphalt. Hard. And it hurt like hell. I moaned as spots danced in front of my eyes while clutching my side. Was it bleeding? What about the ribs? Why didn't the driver turn on the headlights like a normal person? At least the thing didn't run me over. My thoughts were scrambled up amidst the pain_, _but one though stood out: _Fuck me and my life_.

Through the haze, I could see the driver rush out of the vehicle. It was an elderly brown-haired man with blue eyes filled with sorrow and regret. "I'm sorry," he croaked out.

Anger rushed through my veins for a split second before dying down. "Tell that to Mom when she finds you," I choked out.

"Do you have a phone?" He pressed desperately.

I nodded slowly. "In my right pocket," I slurred. He pulled out the phone-it now had a cracked screen and a red stain from the blood on the back. Poor little phone.

My thoughts were getting slower and slower as I no longer hear the conversation between the man and the 911 operator. I managed to mutter, "My final words…Canadians are awesome and don't drive at night."

Then I let go, spiraling into darkness…knowing no more.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile in a familiar city in daytime, a crimson blur raced through the streets, missing a burst of light from one of the alleyways he ran past.<p>

* * *

><p><strong>Okay, so I've gotten super obsessed over this TV show and decided to type up a fanfic against my better judgment, but whatever. The fic takes place right after 1x04: "Going Rogue" and before "Plastique". So yeah. Leave a review and maybe an alert if you want me to continue. Kudos if you know what Attack on Titan (Shingeki no Kyojin) and if you watch Supernatural. <strong>

**d(^_^)b  
><strong>


	2. Finding Your Place

The first thing I became aware of while my eyes were shut was the horrible pounding headache. I wondered, _Did Mom forget to give me aspirin? Or did she finally decide to let me sleep until 10:00? _As soon as those thoughts sprung up, the memories of the car crash replayed in my mind.

Instantly, I felt horrified and sick. _I'm dead. There's no other explanation. The ambulance couldn't have gotten to me in time. Mom and Thomas… Oh fuck… I didn't even get to say goodbye, _I realized, silently mourning for the life I left behind.

But it's no use. _What's gone is gone_, I reminded myself. Even if it was hard, it was time to move on. With that, I hesitantly opened my eyes and blinked.

A towering red brick wall stared back at me. I blinked again and rubbed my eyes. What. The. Hell. I'm pretty sure Heaven did not have those. The Supernatural version of Heaven didn't fit either because my favorite memory was making my first friend on a school bus in second grade, not hiding in an alleyway of Skyscraper City. I couldn't be hallucinating since a) I don't do drugs, and b) I only get those when I'm sick with a fever. So where in the world was I?

Slowly, I pulled myself up shakily and pressed my hand against where the car had hit me, expecting pain. None came. I stared at my hand in disbelief. No blood either, as if nothing had ever happened except for my concussion. After checking over the rest of my clothes (thank God my Attack on Titan shirt was okay), I determined that I still had my phone and wallet with a thirty-five dollars worth of change stashed inside in case of emergencies.

Breathing a sigh of relief, I turned on the phone to grin at the picture of Barry Allen running in a S.T.A.R Labs shirt. Cutie. Wait, Katherine. Focus on getting help. Fangirl later. I shook myself tapping the image of the cell phone app and dialing my mother's phone number. Then my blood ran cold.

"I'm sorry but the person you are calling does not exist. Please try again."

No. No. No. I dialed her phone again. Same message. I tried my best friend Erin. No luck either. This can't be happening. This is all wrong. This time, I opened Location Services and my heart nearly stopped. A big red dot on a map labeled Central City showed up on my screen.

My knees gave out from under me as I tried to process the information. I was stranded in the middle of a fictional city from DC Comics without anyone for help. I swallowed. The thing is, I've read these kinds of stories before, about how an OC got brought into this…new and exciting world to escape a harsh reality. At the time, I disregarded how difficult it would be and simply enjoyed the fanfics. But now…

Anger consumed me. "Goddamnit! You could have at least put me in season five of Supernatural, or even Merlin where I had SOME idea of what to do, but nooo! You just had to choose this stupid fucking place of sci-fi and fantasy! We're going to have words when we meet, lunatic!" I seethed. No one answered. I didn't expect for anyone to anyway.

I shoved my phone back into my pocket and stormed out of the dark alleyway into a city during nighttime that glowed and sparkled. "At least there aren't any cars out to run me over this time," I chuckled bitterly as I crossed the street and stopped in front of a closed shop.

Suddenly, the feeling of loneliness and hopelessness swept through me. How was I supposed to survive this place? I was homeless, and the thirty-five dollars would only last me a couple of days.

Unless I could find someone who would take me in, I realized before running through my list of options. S.T.A.R. Labs possibly? No, Team Flash wouldn't take me in until they found out about my knowledge and my coming from another universe, but I don't want to reveal that so blatantly and early, especially to Doctor Wells. Did the particle accelerator break yet? Probably. And poor Barry probably has enough on his plate already. Iris is living with Eddie, but that would be awkward… The only choice left is Joe.

Another thought occurred to me. Is the Central City Police Department still…open? Is Joe still at work or had he gone home to research about the murder of Barry's mother? I sighed and turned on my phone again.

"Google: give me directions to the Central City Police Department," I commanded. There was a loading image on the screen that seemed to go on and on for half an hour (though I suspect it had only been a minute) before a detailed map of Central City appeared with a label of 0.75 miles. Wonderful.

When walking that far, it usually takes me like, twenty minutes since I'm not really that athletic, but I'm not really that fat either. I weigh…what, ninety-eight pounds? Too skinny for a sixteen year old, I know. Anyway, staying outside for so long is bad because at least one meta-human is still active around here, and it's practically midnight and I still haven't ate dinner yet. My stomach rumbled at the thought.

I stared down at my phone again and followed the (confusing) directions to a large building lit from inside labeled "Central City Police Department". _Great job, me! You only got lost five times today! Huzzah! _I snorted at my own witty words before stepping inside.

Warmth engulfed my cold form and for a second it felt like I was at home in South Carolina, but I shook away the feeling of homesickness as I approached the lady at the front desk.

She peered at me through her spectacles while I stared at her nametag: Alyssa Yaeger. Oh the irony. "Are you looking for someone?"

"Y-yes," I stammered, "Joe West, Mrs. Yaeger."

Mrs. Yaeger made a noise between a sigh and a huff. "What's your name, girlie?"

Quelling my irritation, I fiddled with the earbuds in my pocket. "Emily Taylor," I lied, looking into her eyes. The thing is, when you lie to people, they always expect you to look away from them. Hold the gaze for long enough and whatever person you're lying to will believe you. At least until you tear that false sentence down.

The woman picked up the phone and dialed a three-digit number. "Detective West? Someone's here to see you. Said her name was Amelia Tayson."

"Emily Taylor," I corrected with a smile.

Pause. Then: "Send her down."

With that, Mrs. Yaeger put down the phone and handed me "Room 306" scribbled onto a sticky-note page. "Go down the main hallway then take right. That room will be at the end of the right wing."

I nodded my thanks before doing as she said, but along the way, my thoughts began to drift towards the possibilities of having superpowers and what the conversation that I would have with Joe would be like. _Just wing it like the tests you take_, I told myself before turning on my smartphone again.

Normal apps on the home page, normal everything… Wait. I stopped in the middle of the hall, ignoring the looks that the few police officers gave me as I tapped the "Entertainment" folder. There it was: the CW channel app. This was some sick joke that the universe was playing on me, wasn't it? Everyone from my place doesn't exist but the CW does. This was ridiculous.

Stowing away the phone (the only device linking me back to my world) yet again, I marched to the room at the end of the hall, just as the woman directed me to. I hesitated before knocking.

"Come in," Jesse Martin's voice called through the door. I twisted the doorknob and took a peek. A man dressed in his police uniform sat at the desk while glaring at the stack of papers in front of him. Looks like everyone has paperwork issues.

Joe looked up and stared at me for a few seconds. "I expected Emily Taylor to be a twenty-something woman. Not a kid still in high school."

"I'm not a kid," I huffed, crossing my arms. "I'm sixteen."

"A kid still," the detective stated. "Now tell me what I can do for you."

Here goes nothing. I composed myself quickly but that didn't help the spewing of words out of my mouth. "Okay, so I'm in Central City, right? Well, I can't remember how I got here. I think I have amnesia. I was in a car accident when I went out for a stroll around my normally peaceful neighborhood and crossed a road. The truck didn't have headlights on so I couldn't see it during the night. I got knocked off and was bleeding pretty bad, but when I woke up I was here! The worst part is that apparently, neither me or my family don't exist according to the databases," I rambled.

"You want me to take you in," Joe sighed. "You do understand that the I will have to search for any files on you, draw up a bunch of forms, and make a new claim for adoption."

I raked my fingers through my hair. " I really don't know what the heck happened to me, but I was hoping for you to help me. Just for a little bit until I can go off on my own. I promise I'll leave you alone once I do," I declared.

"We abolished child labor."

"I just said I wasn't a kid. And I could go and join a gang," I mused.

He facepalmed. "No. For one, there are no gangs in Central City, and two, I won't have a kid living out on the streets unless I can help it."

"That's a yes then?" I pressed.

Joe nodded. "But you will have to go to school all the same once the paperwork has been passed through."

A moan of exasperation left me. One issue down, a hundred more to go.

He looked down at his watch. "11:30. Half an hour until my shift ends. Look for a guy named Barry Allen in the Forensics Lab. He's on the other side of the building. Room 915. He should still be here. Tell him that I am fostering another him."

Resisting the urge to smile was like trying to take Analytic Geometry without completing fifth grade. "Yes sir."

"Good, now shoo," he muttered. My heart panged as I left the room. Those words were practically the same as the ones Thomas had uttered. Was my brother still watching the Flash? Did he hear about the car crash yet?

I bit my lip after walking aimlessly around in the right wing. So many doors. What if the Forensics Lab was a room inside of another room? Then it would take practically forever to find!

"Hey, are you lost?"

That voice was quite familiar seeing that I heard it every time a new episode came on. I slowly turned around and forced myself to relax. Very hard to do when one of your favorite actors (or characters) is right next to you. Smiling. "Yeah. Could you please direct me to Barry Allen please?"

The young man in front of me laughed. "That's me. A pleasure to meet you…"

"Emily Taylor," I filled in the blank and stuck out my hand in greeting. "Nice to meet you too, Mr. Allen."

A flicker of sadness appeared in his green eyes before vanishing. "Just call me Barry. Mr. Allen is my father."

Shit, nice going Katherine. Way to go. "Ah," I mumbled. "Er, Joe sent me to you."

"What did he say exactly?" Barry inquired.

"He said: 'Tell Barry I am fostering another him'".

Barry snorted. "In other words, Joe is becoming a larger-than-average mother hen. What happened to you to make him do that?"

"Lost my memories on how I came to Central City, homelessness, and threatening to live on the streets by joining a gang," I shrugged.

The vigilante looked thoughtful for a moment. "Yeah, that's about enough to make him cave," he chuckled. "Now do you want to walk home or get me to drive you home?"

"Either."

"Then let's walk," a grinning Barry Allen decided for me. I had a sneaking suspicion that he didn't drive a car anymore because of his speed. That will suck when his superpower gets stolen.

During the walk to Joe's house, we lapsed into a comfortable silence until the secret speedster started up a conversation. "So tell me about yourself. I mean, you had a life before the amnesia thing, right?"

"My mom and little brother didn't think so. Even though I was great with grades and school, I was mostly reserved. Except when online. Ran a blog and got a bunch of following it. Well, if you count seventy-six people as a lot. I usually stayed at home and didn't exercise that much since I had high metabolism," I answered.

A small smile tugged at his lips. "How about your dad?"

"Somewhere between dead and missing."

Barry clearly didn't expect that as he stumbled a few steps forward. "Dead and missing?"

"War in Afghanistan," I exhaled. He stared at me sympathetically.

"I'm sorry for your loss."

Closing my eyes for a brief moment, I whispered under my breath, "Same to you Barry."

"So, uh, do you need anyone to show you around later? I mean, Joe or I can show you around," he offered.

I grinned. "Of course! By the way, do you have a laptop? I might be able to get past the amnesia if I look at some news articles," I added. You could probably guess the real reason why: I needed to know more about what time frame of the Flash I was in.

His brow furrowed. "You could ask Iris. My foster sister," Barry elaborated.

"I'll keep that in mind."

Five minutes later, we arrived in front of a medium-sized house. "Cozy," I commented as we waltzed in.

Barry chuckled. "The house that Iris and I grew up in. Guest bedroom's upstairs next to Iris's room. Shower is across. Want me to dig up some clothes for you?"

The thought of him looking through Iris's childhood clothes for me gave off an uneasy feeling for me. _What if he falls in love with me instead of Iris? That could jeopardize the entire storyline!_ I shook my head no, red face aimed at the floor.

"Suit yourself," he shrugged. "Seeing as it's late already, I'd recommend going to sleep. Either Joe or me will swing by tomorrow to give a tour around Central City. Goodnight Emily."

"Goodnight Barry," I responded. Said person smiled before leaving, closing the front door behind him. Then I could see his form blur as he ran away.

I snorted. If anyone bothered to stay long enough, Barry's secret would have already been revealed. Now, first things first. Sleep.

Trudging upstairs was somewhat nostalgic for me as I closed my eyes and remembered the exact same way young-me would reluctantly go upstairs to bed. When I forced open my eyes again, I saw myself standing in front of the guest bedroom. How did I know? A elementary school kid had wrote in giant letters: GUESTS STAY HERE. I'm guessing that was Iris.

Once I opened the door, I blinked. A queen-sized bed with cream-colored sheets sat next to the window across from the door, and a dark mahogany nightstand to the right of the bed. A desk was placed left of the window.

Without thinking, I belly-flopped onto the bed, relishing in how soft and comfortable it was. The last thought I had before shutting my eyes was _I wonder if this is memory foam_.

* * *

><p><strong>Okay, did anyone else see the mid-season finale for the Flash besides me? It was epic. You should really watch it if you missed it. Also, does anyone know why episode 4 isn't on the CW channel?<br>**

**I would also like to address some things. One: Barry x Iris will be canon. In this story anyway. Katherine has a crush on him and will probably not make a move on it because of her fear of disrupting the timeline. Leave a review down below if you want Katherine to have some kind of ability or superpower. Toodles~!**


	3. Morning and Touring

Comfy beds are comfy. And warm. Especially if you go to bed at midnight in late fall or winter. I snuggled a pillow under the covers and made a noise that could be compared to a cat purring. After a few minutes of becoming fully conscious and the never-ending sunlight, I finally decided to get up and put on my glasses.

Upon throwing off the covers, I blinked in confusion. This wasn't my room. It didn't have any pictures of Misha Collins, Rob Benedict, or Grant Gustin in it. Grant Gustin…

Yesterday's events washed back into my head and nearly drowned me. _Why couldn't it have been a dream?_ I silently moaned before closing my eyes and counted to three to calm myself down. Afterwards, I dragged myself off the springy mattress and gasped as my feet hit the cold wooden floor.

"Socks, I need socks!" I muttered. Thankfully, I spotted the pink pair of lifesavers under the nightstand and hastily pulled them on. _The dust balls must have moved them_, I snickered, flashing back to when I watched the movie Spirited Away. Slowly, I exhaled and opened the guest bedroom door to see the sunlit upstairs hallway.

The words from Barry came back. "Guest bedroom's upstairs next to Iris's room. Shower is across," he had said. So I naturally looked at the door across from mine and grinned. Clean and well-organized bathrooms were a gift to mankind. The toilet's lid was closed, and upon the white porcelain were a fresh change of clothes and a note. Either Barry or Joe. Secretly, I hoped it was Barry as I picked the sheet of paper up.

_Emily,_

_I might not be there when you wake up, so I left you with some of Iris's old clothes. There's a clean towel under the hoodie in case you want to take a shower. Breakfast will be on the table. I have duty at the police station again, so I'll go tell Barry to go and get you._

_- Joe West_

Good to know. My hands placed the letter gently beside the sink as I held up the clothes. A black tank top, light pink hoodie, and a pair of blue jean shorts. Was Central City located in Florida or something? Because I heard from Oliver Queen in that one episode say that this place was sunny all the time. Hm. I guess I should check into that after I take my shower.

About ten minutes later, I came back out feeling a lot less like dirt and more like a District 1 girl from the Hunger Games. The clothes I changed into were a little large on me, but that was fine. I could pressure Joe into clothes shopping later. Or Iris. Depends on whomever is around and comfortable with girl shopping. _Still Iris, but I haven't met her yet_, I mused.

Just as I was about to leave, I caught my reflection in the mirror, except it didn't look like me. I narrowed my eyes and stared into it. My appearance didn't really change. Same height, same hair… Not the same eyes. Before my arrival at Central City, I had ordinary brown eyes. Now? They were an eerie blue-green color reminiscent of Doctor Wells's. I closed my eyes before descending downstairs. I've had enough of the universe screwing up my life at the moment, thanks.

* * *

><p>Breakfast was already cold due to the fact that I woke up late. I stared at the omelet and picked at it with a fork. Unlike the day before, my appetite was practically non-existent. Well, the apple juice and bacon were good at least.<p>

I checked my cell phone: 87% battery left, which would be enough to last me two more days if I didn't use it other than to just check time and listen to music. Then I'd need a charger. Should I go to S.T.A.R. Labs just to get one? Nah. Unless it's a Tuesday. I snickered a little at my little joke (The Flash = Tuesdays = Supernatural = Mystery Spot = Bad Day).

After I finished the last of the omelet, I leaned back in the chair and thought about what to do next. Obviously, there was a tour, but Barry was predictable enough to be late like always in the show. Come to think of it though, the guy never said when he was coming either.

I turned on the phone again and absentmindedly browsed my apps until an idea materialized in my head. Episode 7 of the Flash had Harrison Wells documenting Barry Allen daily after the particle accelerator failed. So what if I did the same and added my knowledge to the whole thing? Excited, I opened up the "Notes" app that came with the smartphone (courtesy of AT&T) and began typing.

_Log Entry - 1_

_First day since my arriving here (by getting hit with a truck and dying apparently) in Central City. Yesterday, I sought out Detective West and managed to persuade him into adopting me as Emily Taylor, not as Fangirl Katherine Campbell, but one of the terms was that I had to go to school. Bleh. Barry and Joe are nice at least._

_Today, Barry is supposed to be giving me a tour of the city. Though I do wonder why Iris isn't involved yet. Is she at Eddie's or is she working at Jitters?_

_Another thing is the possibility of superpowers. My eyes are now blue, so I'm concluding that I have SOME ability. I just need to find out what unless it's just my knowledge about the Flash so far. (Remember Erudite's color and what it stands for from Divergent)_

Second note to keep track of thoughts, continuity, and preserve time line:

_1. Never get on Team Flash's bad side_

_2. Harrison Wells. DO NOT TRUST HIM UNLESS REVEALING THAT HE IS A GOOD GUY BY CW  
><em>

_3. Caitlin might become Killer Frost_

_4. Barry x Iris is main ship. Find a way to get them together._

_5. 2 people in Barry's house that night (red and yellow lightning = 2 speedsters)_

_6. Get into Team Flash somehow_

_7. Gorilla Grodd, Farooq, and others_

_8. Leonard Snart teams up with Heatwave._

_9. Oliver Queen and Barry know each other and stuff_

_10. Make sure no one knows about me and origins; check for new Flash episode every Wednesday_

That should do for now. I saved the two texts and set a password for my phone to make sure no one could get in. Something that they won't be expecting. A pairing that only the fandom could have made, like…barrydatingwells. I clasped my hand over my mouth to keep from laughing as I entered it as my new entry code.

Just as the decision was finalized and I was about to browse my music files, the doorbell rang. My hand instinctively moved towards my right pocket before remembering that the shorts I was wearing couldn't fit the phone. So inconvenient.

I pressed down on the power button to turn it off before greeting a familiar tall green-eyed man.

"Sorry I'm late. Traffic held me up," Barry said. If it was a lie, calling him out this early would probably damage our friendship later on.

"No harm done," I replied easily with a grin. "So Joe had work?"

He nodded. "He barely takes time off to do anything because he's been going back and reviewing past crime scenes. Plus, the crime rate shot up in the last few months."

Reference to meta-humans, anyone?

"Ah, okay. So, uh, tour?" I steered the conversation back on track.

Barry's lips twitched into a smile. "You are going to love Central City when we're done." Then, "That came out weird."

"And wrong," I quipped as I strode out the house and closed the door behind me.

"A bit," he admitted.

The first stop was the Central City Museum. I furrowed my eyebrows at it. The building looked more impressive in the show than what was in front of me.

"Not interested?" Barry asked, seeing my expression.

"Not too much. Science and major history like wars are more exciting than this place. Does it have any artifacts from Egypt or whatever?" I asked, fishing for information.

He pondered my question before shaking his head. "No. I mean, there was a diamond, but a guy stole it already."

That answers which point in time I am. I paused before looking back at him. The speedster didn't seem to notice, a dark expression of guilt and anger on his face.

"You okay Barry?"

"I'm fine," he answered, stuffing his own phone back into his leather jacket.

I pursed my lips together and decided to drop the issue. The time right now must be right after "Going Rogue". Poor Flash. His life was just going to get a whole lot harder from here.

"Let's go to Jitters next," Barry decided.

"Iris works there, right?"

He blinked in confusion. "How did you know that?"

Oops. "Joe told me," I lied.

The makeshift answer seemed to be enough for Barry as he nodded and motioned for me to follow him again. After a few minutes, we stood in front of a café. "Full name is CC Jitters, but we all call it Jitters," he explained.

I hid a smile as I watched his eyes glow with eagerness as we walked in. Rather warm and cozy, and the scent of coffee smelled like the Starbucks near my high school where my friends and I used to hang out. _Stop it. Homesickness won't do you any good right now_, I scolded myself before watching Barry walk up to a familiar face. More specifically, Candice Patton's. Well, Iris. You get the point either way.

Looks like the only ship to sail here in Central City is WestAllen.

Upon sitting down at a table beside a window, I started tapping my finger on the table in boredom and thinking about what was the best course of action to join Team Flash. Could I spy on Barry and work it out from there? Insist on checking out S.T.A.R. Labs from the tour and meet everyone? There were so many possibilities.

Another situation would be if I had powers. Creating a secret identity just to talk to Team Flash could end in disaster, so maybe the best course of action would be to check out S.T.A.R. Labs on the tour. I toyed with multiple ideas before Iris's voice jolted me out of my thoughts.

"Hi Emily."

"Hey Iris," I greeted back. "Barry and Joe told me about you."

Her eyes sparkled with amusement as she responded, "Good things I hope. Did they also tell you I'm writing a blog?"

Barry sighed and rubbed a hand over his face. "He isn't-"

"Of course he's real! There's been sightings all over Central City of a red streak," Iris retorted.

"What exactly is going on?" I asked, playing the part of the confused new sibling. Hey, if Joe adopts me then I would be their new sister, right?

Iris looked back at me. "Basically, I'm writing a blog about a red blur that saves people in Central City," she explained.

"I don't exactly like what she's putting out there. Dangerous people might be interested and hurt you," Barry said. There was a note of pleading in his voice. The feels are so real this time.

"How about this? Iris can post about it as long as she stays anonymous and just posts about what the streak does instead of speculating on who it is? Don't imply anything that would give a hint to who you really are or make them think that the red streak is visiting you," I suggested.

Barry frowned and stated, "I'm not too sure that will work."

Iris swatted her foster brother. "Worrywart. I'll be careful and everything will be fine."

"Hope so," I mumbled under my breath.

"See you later guys!" She called as we left the shop.

Out of her earshot, I smiled slyly. "I like her. She's nice. You and Iris would be a good couple."

"We're just friends! Iris already has a boyfriend," Barry responded, sputtering.

"I know love when I see it. Get the fiancé out of the way!" I quoted from Frozen.

He was silent for a moment before speaking, "As long as Iris is happy, I'm happy."

_The feels are starting to get a little more angsty now_, I thought as we explored the city. Barry occasionally pointed to a building or two remarking, "That place is the mall. Over there is a restaurant that sells great hamburgers."

The sky was nearly dark when I remembered something. "Barry? What about S.T.A.R. Labs?"

The vigilante did not expect that. "Wait, what?"

"Why don't we go to S.T.A.R. Labs?" I repeated.

"Well, uh, it's dangerous," he offered. "Classified as a class four hazardous location. It hasn't been operational since the particle accelerator exploded nine to ten months ago."

Time to kick my plan into action. "I heard that you were in a coma for nine months following the failure of S.T.A.R. Labs. You were moved there. Don't tell me it's dangerous."

"That's different."

"How?"

Barry shifted his weight as we stood under a street lamp. "Well, medical reasons."

"And I'm planning to be a doctor when I grow up," I countered. "Plus, Iris and Joe visited you. And you say that it's still dangerous?"

Suddenly, I felt guilty when he reluctantly agreed to let me visit the facility. Maybe I shouldn't have pushed so hard. _But if that's true, you would never get anywhere in this universe_, a voice retorted in my head.

"Sorry for being inconveniencing you today," I whispered.

He shrugged. "Wednesday is my day off. It's no problem."

Eventually, we arrived in front of the large building after Barry showed me an entrance unprotected by the long fence. I guess that's how he could enter and leave without any sign of a breach.

"It looks a bit run-down," I couldn't help but say. He looked amused with an I-told-you-so expression on his face.

"That's only on the outside. As far as I know, a few of my friends still stay here and cleaned the place up," Barry responded.

"Then can I go in?" I asked, trying not to sound like a desperate weirdo.

"I guess…" He trailed off and contemplated my request before sighing and getting out his phone. Probably sending a text to either Caitlin or Cisco to hide the suit and everything else that would hint at Barry's vigilante identity.

"Were you texting someone?" I inquired.

"Yeah. Letting Doctor Wells know I came to visit with someone," he answered.

…Fuck. How the hell did I forget that time-traveling maniac when I got here? I kept my face happy and smiling while I internally panicked. _Shit. I need to make sure he doesn't suspect me._

A moment afterwards, I made a small squeak as he grabbed my hand and pulled me inside. I couldn't keep the red blush from creeping up my face. Screw my fangirl nerves. And my life.

"It's dark," I noted.

"Because this section of S.T.A.R. Labs hasn't been used in a long time since the particle accelerator exploded," Barry explained.

Oh. _Way to be an idiot, Katherine_. I watched in interest as he climbed down a fleet of stairs and entered through double-doors to a brightly lit room below. Of course I followed him.

"Wow," I breathed. The room looked amazing for a lack of a better word. Screens filled with complex diagrams littered the white chamber. I could see Danielle Panabaker and Carlos Valdes-no, Caitlin and Cisco sitting behind computer monitors while sizing me up. Barry had his back leaned up against a stretch of wall that hid his crimson Flash costume. The only person missing was…

"Hello, miss Taylor."

…Harrison Wells. I tried not to stiffen as I turned around to face the wheelchair-bound director of the facility.

"I've been expecting you," Wells continued. His eyes gleamed with curiosity as he interlocked his fingers together.

_Dear God, please help me survive_, I prayed.

* * *

><p><strong>I read some of the reviews. Most of you want her to have a special ability of some sort, but if I do give Katherine a superpower, it probably won't be considered that powerful. Also, if any of you readers are concerned by the amount of bonding happening to Barry and Katherine, rest assured that all the more painful it will be for Team Flash when her secrets are revealed. I'm trying to make this story as realistic as possible. Tell me when it's become too Mary Sue-ish and I'll fix it to the best of my ability. Hope you enjoyed this filler-ish chapter. Kudos if you caught the references and Katherine's slip-up. Review and tell me your thoughts and if there were any grammatical errors and whatnot.<br>**

…**should I post this story to AO3? Because I now have an account on there…**

**Notes:**

**- Katherine can watch episodes of the Flash on the CW but not contact anyone from her world.**

**- At some point Katherine will have an extremely bad slip-up and all of her secrets will start tumbling out whether she wants them to or not **


	4. Coming Back with New Thoughts

"Uh, hi…?" I berated myself mentally for the unintelligent words coming out of my mouth. Not exactly a good first impression I would have wanted to give to Team Flash's leader despite my initial panic (which was now dying down).

However, the S.T.A.R. Labs director simply appeared amused. "Not as good with articulation as Mr. Allen here it seems," he chuckled. A corner of Barry's mouth twitched into something of a good-natured smirk.

Fighting to keep a blush off my face, I responded, "I'm sixteen. Barry's twenty-something. There's like a ten year difference."

"Nine, actually. Barry is twenty-five," Caitlin corrected from her cross-legged position at the computer.

"Practically the same thing," Cisco stated, leaning back after taking a pink lollipop out of his mouth to speak.

Barry suddenly seemed to realize something and pointed to his teammates. "Oh. You still don't know their names yet. Cisco Ramon, Caitlin Snow, Harrison Wells," he introduced each said person in the room.

_Charm them. Smile and look pretty_. _As long as they don't see you as a threat they won't go after you, _I reassured myself. Somehow, I get the feeling that this was going to backfire later on as I replied, "Emily Taylor, but you guys already knew that. Barry sent a text or something before we came here, right?"

Harrison Wells exchanged a brief look with Barry before turning back to me. "Quite perceptive too," he complimented.

My thoughts centered on the man's personality. Clever and calculating. A master at manipulation and deception, not afraid to sacrifice lives for the greater good. A bit like Albus Dumbledore then, except with the Fastest Man Alive not the Boy Who Lived. The best guess of mine was that he was fishing for information and gauging on his own if I was able to connect the dots. And if I did "connect the dots" about Barry then Wells had a right to be worried about if I could figure out his secret. _I'm so screwed_.

"Thank you sir," I grinned half-heartedly.

A wry smile tugged at the dark-haired man's lips as he moved his wheelchair through a doorway, whispering something under his breath. A few seconds later, he was gone. Perhaps to his secret room of the future?

The others didn't really look bothered, as if this was normal. Maybe it is. After all, the show never put attention on S.T.A.R. Labs unless it affected Barry in some major way or was a flashback, I frowned in partial worry. Or maybe it's actually the opposite of what Wells said: I don't observe things too well. Maybe I see, just don't observe.

Cisco seemed to notice my expression. "This is normal for him, even before the particle accelerator went off," he explained.

Did that mean he created that room prior to the accelerator's explosion? I made a mental note to record that on my list before smiling at Cisco gratefully. He grinned before going back to whatever he was doing on his computer.

Caitlin rose from her chair and walked towards me. "How often do you plan to visit S.T.A.R. Labs?" She phrased it like an innocent question but I knew she was also waiting to reel in some information to take measures to prevent my "figuring out" the Flash's identity.

I shrugged. "Don't really know. Joe wants to send me to school once paperwork gets through."

"Paperwork for what exactly?" She prodded.

"Living with the Wests," I said. Suddenly after hearing it said aloud, the whole plan of mine to survive here seemed far-fetched and ridiculous. But it would work. Maybe.

She also seemed to realize that it sounded strange but decided not to interrogate me for whatever reason. Instead, Caitlin nodded. "Give us a call when you want to visit."

"If you need help on math homework and Barry isn't home, come ask us," Cisco called out from behind the computer screen, unaware of the glare that his female teammate was giving him.

"Understood. Bye guys. It was great to meet all of you." Ignoring the sinking feeling in my stomach, I forced a smile onto my face as I walked out the facility. Barry walked out a few minutes later after presumably chatting with Caitlin and Cisco.

We walked home in silence but I could see Barry a little agitated as I lagged a little bit behind him. The fact that he can't use his super speed because of my presence must be driving him nuts right now. Guilt enveloped me._ Say something, _I internally pleaded to myself.

"Thanks for the tour." Wow, that's such a great response. Please take note the sarcasm.

Barry turned around. "You're welcome," he replied. Not much more was said after that so the two of us returned to our thoughts.

For me, my mind wandered back to the prospect of powers. If I did have any, what would I do? _Nothing_, I realized, _because there isn't really a point. Unless it's a life-or-death situation_. Besides, if Cisco ever got wind of a non-threatening meta-human wanting to be on the team, then he'd probably whip up another suit. Right now, I had no intention of wearing one.

And what were my powers supposed to be exactly? Did I even have any? If I did, would they create things that haven't existed previously, like Weather Wizard, or draw on objects already there? I mentally scowled. _Fuck. This issue is really confusing the hell out of me, and I haven't even spent a week here yet!_

Focus, Katherine. What else do you need to sort out? Hm. The rules of dimensional travel? Why could my phone link up to the CW and not to my world's people? Then it dawned on me. _The Flash is obviously still a new show and whoever sent me here needs to keep me updated_. I snorted.

"I must be living in a fanfiction written by an amateur," I snickered.

Barry paused before looking back towards me. "Did you say something Emily?"

"Nothing, really."

He shrugged and we resumed our normal pace until we arrived back at the Wests' house. Judging from the light emanating from inside, Joe was still in the living room and Iris upstairs working on her blog. _Wonder how mad Joe's going to be_.

* * *

><p>When we walked through the doorway a few seconds later, the detective was at the kitchen table shuffling through papers. What clued me in was the box on the floor. The case of Nora Allen's murder. I mentally frowned as I reviewed what happened that night.<p>

_Two speedsters, one creating red lightning and one yellow lightning, were at the Allens' house. The one creating red lightning would be Reverse Flash since that was also shown in the mid-season finale. Yellow lightning from the other one. Now what the fuck do I do with this information? It hasn't gotten me anywhere! _I bemoaned silently.

Barry cleared his throat. "So… We're back."

At this, Joe's head turned towards us before the man sighed and put away the papers back into the box. "I can see that. You two of all people should know how bad it is to be out so late." His disapproving gaze lingered on us, the vigilante more than me.

"Sorry," I apologized while running through a list of possibilities for the identity of the other speedster giving off the yellow lightning. Like most online, my theory was Barry Allen time-traveling to save his mother, but he only managed to save his past self. Or he did save his mom? But therein lies the Flashpoint Paradox.

_Ugh. That got me nowhere either._

Joe sighed again. "Go up to your room. We'll talk about this tomorrow."

Good. More time for me to sort out my thoughts. I ascended up the flight of stairs before pausing in front of Iris's door. I rapped on the shut door. A second, then: "Come in!"

I opened the wooden door to see Iris propped up against a pillow on the bedpost, still working on her blog about the Flash. "Is this a bad time?"

She set down her laptop beside her and grinned. "Not at all! In fact, this gives me a chance for you to read my posts about the Streak without Barry or Dad breathing down our necks with 'Iris, there is no Streak," she babbled, making me snicker as I plopped down on the other side of her.

"So you'll let me borrow your laptop?"

Iris hesitated. "Only for my blog, alright?"

"Yes ma'am!" Whack.

"Ow! What was that for?!" I exclaimed as she slapped my arm.

Her dark eyes were alight with good humor as she replied, "Don't call me ma'am. It makes me feel old. Iris is just fine."

I relaxed at her reasoning. "Okay then, Iris."

"See? That wasn't so hard after all!" She laughed.

"So, blog?" I approached the subject again. Iris handed me her laptop gently. There weren't any visible markings, so it was either new or just well-taken care of.

"Don't break it," she muttered.

I simply nodded. The page was already up for me because of Iris's updates. I scrolled through, looking for pictures and information. A few photos here and there, but nothing that would make Iris suspect Barry unless the scarlet speedster did something stupid. _Like start visiting Iris as the Flash. Wonderful_. I leaned back with a slight frown on my face a few minutes later.

She stared at me impatiently. "Well? Do you believe?"

I suppressed the urge to laugh at her choice of words. "I think he does exist, but he wouldn't like people documenting him. He's pretty much a vigilante."

Iris shrugged. "People need to know that he's out there though. The Streak is helping innocents and saving them when the police can't get there fast enough. He ran into a burning building once and rescued a little girl trapped there, reuniting her with her mother. He's Central City's guardian angel," she said breathlessly.

Recognizing specific clips from a TV show could sometimes be difficult, but since The Flash was only in its first season, it was pretty easy to keep track of those clips. That burning building thing was from episode two, wasn't it?

"I agree with you," I replied.

Before I exited the room, I could have sworn my ears heard "Thank you". But to whom did she say that to? Me, for believing?

After brushing my teeth and washing my face, I entered my designated room and flopped onto the bed. It would be in December before even fifteen percent of Central City would believe in the Flash. The Captain Cold scenario was over a bit before I arrived here, so my guess would be that Plastique would take place in a few days or a week.

Should I interfere? The answer would be no on this one, but I didn't like people dying if I could have stopped it. _Dimension traveling is so stupid_, I whined silently before rolling over onto my back. _And I still don't know if I have powers!_

I waved my hand at the ceiling, half-expecting a beam of light, or some kind of fireball to miraculously appear in my palm. It didn't happen. I wasn't exactly surprised, but there was a strange let-down still when I took off my glasses and placed them on the nightstand.

In my disappointment, I crawled underneath the covers after taking off the pink hoodie and fell asleep, dreaming of a universe where I could turn into an AI and hijack the Iron Man's suit after battling it out with a human Jarvis. Weird dream, I know.

* * *

><p><strong>Thanks for the support I've been getting guys. This story is far from perfect, with plot holes and (maybe) OOC characters, but thank you so much readers, for all the reviewing, alerts, and favorites. It means a lot. I have an idea for Katherine's superpower, but it's still liable to change. Sorry, no spoilers. Kudos to you if you can guess what it is though. Please leave a review for what you thought on this chapter. :3<br>**

**(^.^)/)(::) Cookies for the references!**

**Next chapter will involve episode 5 and the treadmill will start running faster than the chapters before. (Like what I did there? No? Aw...) **


	5. Staying at Home

As I expected, nothing important really happened until about five days later on Monday night, but to refresh my memory of episode 5, I rewatched "Plastique" Sunday night. Thank God I remembered the earphones. Earbuds. Whatever they're called. The volume was deafening when I first turned on my smartphone. I would make a reference to Pied Piper, but it would probably fall a little short.

For a day in my not-so-ordinary-life-anymore, Monday started off pretty normal (within the new standards of course). I woke up around 8:30 to the amazing smell of pancakes, courtesy of Iris deciding to cook that day. I made my way to the bathroom and tried to avoid my reflection in the mirror hanging above the sink as I brushed my teeth before washing my face. That reflection reminded me of what I'd lost when I came to this fictional world.

When I arrived downstairs, Joe had a coffee mug in his hand at the kitchen table while reading the newspaper. Barry was eating an enormous stack of pancakes drenched with maple syrup. Hiding a smile, I plopped down in the chair opposite to Joe and next to Barry.

"Morning guys," I chirped.

Joe cracked a smile. "Good morning, Emily."

Yet another reminder of what I've done on this particular Earth: lie about myself. Fantastic. _This is so going to bite me in the back later_, I moaned. _What if I made things more complicated than I should be? I mean, Katherine Campbell technically doesn't exist here, so I probably could've used my actual name. Damn it. Now I have to live with the consequences. But at least I react to Emily. I get called that enough back home. _Unwelcome memories tore through me for a brief moment before I could push them away.

Iris called from somewhere in the kitchen, "Hello to you too!"

Barry grinned after finishing the last of his pancake stack. "Morning Emily," he greeted before going into the kitchen to wash his plate.

"So," I started, "How's the adoption thing going?"

The detective cleared his throat. "Surprisingly well. We have had a few…hiccups on the way, but you should be able to start school in two to three weeks."

I pinched the bridge of my nose. The idea of reliving high school in this world is partially terrifying for another reason other than going back to math. What if one of the students or teachers was a meta-human, and one that couldn't control his or her abilities, like Plastique? Or that one guy from the Flash-Arrow crossover called Bivolo? I suppressed a shudder.

Upon coming back, Barry patted me on the arm. "You'll be fine," he promised. There was a strange glint in his eyes as he said that.

_Looks like the Flash will take care of those things. _Onto something else: "What if I make a bad first impression?" I asked.

"Then apologize for the bad first impression," Joe replied, setting aside the newspaper. He took his coffee mug back into the kitchen just as Iris walked out with her own stack of pancakes.

"I haven't ate yet. Judging by how fast my dad and Barry wolfed down these things, I'd say they're delicious," she proclaimed. At this, Barry rolled his eyes.

"Of course the pancakes are good! From what I can remember, when Iris volunteers to cook, she usually cooks way better than Joe," he whispered loudly to me.

"Why thank you, Barry," Iris grinned before taking a bite out of one of the pancakes. Her expression turned to one of bliss, making her foster brother hide a laugh with a cough.

_How the fuck is Iris this oblivious to Barry? It's so obvious that he loves her!_ I tried to not let the astonishment show on my face as I walked into the kitchen to grab some pancakes for myself. Sure, the TV show portrayed Iris seeing the main character as nothing more than best friend, but seriously…

Shaking my head, I entered the kitchen, grabbing a plate and piling up pancake after pancake on it. After that came the maple syrup. Good breakfast.

* * *

><p>An hour later and everyone had left for work, leaving me alone in an empty house. That would have to change, I mused as I reached for my phone to scour the internet for interesting news from my home dimension. Nothing really attracted my attention. Frowning, I typed in my name and added Florida to the end of it before hitting the search button.<p>

There were several results that popped up, but only one of them fit what I was looking for. I tapped on the link, clasping a hand over my mouth as I scanned the words.

**Car Accident Leaves Family and Friends Mourning!**

**It was not even midnight a short while ago in the neighborhood of Jameswoods, Florida when a truck crashed into sixteen-year old Katherine Campbell. When the police arrived, the elderly driver William Chase was in hysterics after dialing 911.**

**"I didn't mean to hurt her!" He cried. "I just didn't see her in the dark!"**

**This begs the question: why didn't he have the headlights on while driving? And surely Katherine would have heard the truck coming. The Campbell family is currently not available for comment, but Katherine's classmate Erin Theresa said, "She wears headphones sometimes when she's outside and wants to listen to music." However, even though she had earbuds on her person, Katherine had no music playing.**

**The investigation will wrap up after Katherine Campbell's funeral next week. More details will come in later.**

My breath was shaky after closing the tab and erasing my Google Chrome history. I was dead in my world, but that didn't make sense since I was alive and perfectly well in this one. Didn't the DC comics cover these kinds of alternate universes?

And if I ever returned to my own universe, how could I explain there were two bodies of the same person? _Calm down and worry about these things later_, I chided myself, relaxing my tense grip on the table I was sitting at. Right now, the best thing to do was to help Barry from the shadows.

"Looks like I've got work to do," I whispered to the air.

* * *

><p>Iris was the first one to come home, but I didn't account for the boyfriend she dragged with her. Eddie Thawne would have made a good Flash since he looked a lot more like Barry from the comics, I thought distractedly as Iris introduced us.<p>

Joe's partner stuck his hand out. "Eddie Thawne. I work with Barry and Joe at the police department," he said with a smile. To be honest, I didn't see how Eddie could become Harrison Wells or Reverse Flash with a personality like that.

Smiling back, I replied, "Pleased to meet you. I'm Emily Taylor."

"Oh! Iris told me about the new believer about Flashinism," he joked.

At this, Iris smacked Eddie on the shoulder lightly. "Eddie, it's not Flashinism! It's Flashianity," she corrected with a laugh.

"My bad. Anyway, tonight me, Iris, Barry, and his doctors are going to hang out. Joe said he had something to do back at the station so he won't be here tonight."

Before I could stop the words tumbling out of my mouth, I asked, "I can't come?"

"Sorry. It's a bar," Eddie apologized, seeing my dejected look.

I didn't say anything as I went upstairs and opted to just stay in my room. From downstairs, I could hear Candice Patton's voice say, "I think you hurt her feelings."

"Oops. But she gets that she's not twenty-one yet, right?"

Great. Why did I have to be sixteen? Don't answer that question.

After I was sure WestThawne pair had left, my feet carried me downstairs and to the refrigerator.

"This looks pretty good," I murmured as I withdrew a frozen chicken sandwich. Within two minutes of shoving the cold food into the microwave, it beeped for me to retrieve the heaven waiting for my taste buds. Upon taking a bite, my first thought was: _OH MY GOD THIS IS SO YUMMY WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN ALL MY LIFE_. No joke. The sandwich was gone in five minutes.

Tomorrow is when most of episode five would take place. Let's see how much I can frustrate Eiling. A smile slowly etched itself onto my face. Look out, guys. There's a new player joining the match.

* * *

><p><strong>I'm not sure I'm satisfied with this chapter, so I might rewrite it in the future. I'm not dead, just swamped with homework and grades. Happy Valentines Day guys. There will be more to come, and I'm personally looking forward to "The Sound and the Fury".<br>**


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